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Many plants possess a complex biochemical machinery that allows them to make a  huge variety of fragrant compounds that accumulate in microscopic “oil glands” in various parts of the plant. A specific set of genes in each plant are activated to produce the enzymes that catalyze each step in the metabolic process of synthesizing every individual aroma molecule. Varying  amounts of hundreds of such aroma molecules go into the formulation of a given plant’s essential  oil.  

Here are some things to remember about essential oils from the lavender family: 

• The essential oil within the “oil glands” is a complex mixture of hundred of different organic molecules. From a chemical standpoint, there is nothing “pure” about essential oils. 
• Each type of molecule in the essential oil has its own unique fragrance, which may or may not  be pleasant in isolation.  
• The various compounds have differing volatilities, so you should expect, at any given moment, that the most volatile compounds will be disproportionately represented in what you are able to smell. REMEMBER: we can only smell those molecules that have evaporated and entered the gaseous phase which can then be carried to our olfactory centers.  
• Various parts of the lavender plant produce differing quantities of aroma compounds at progressive stages of the plant’s development.  

Taking in the beautiful scent of blooming lavender is, of course, a favorite way of appreciating these plants. It is important to realize that the scent of the fresh blooming flowers will always be different than the fragrance of the isolated essential oil, partly because the plant is able to control the release of  aroma molecules.  You are likely to get a more accurate sense of the oil by smelling some crushed buds, but even then you won’t get a complete impression of the oil’s complexity.  Regarding the isolated essential oil, here’s a friendly word of advice: remember that a small bottle of lavender essential oil represents aroma compounds pulled from millions of lavender buds. It fundamentally represents a highly concentrated, enormous quantity of fragrant molecules which occurs nowhere in nature. Cracking open a bottle and taking a direct “hit” right under your nose is an excellent way to evoke our inherent olfactory defensive mechanisms. Simply put, too much of  ANY odorant will be perceived as offensive or dangerous, inducing evasion behaviors. Think of  the all-too-common occurrence of people taking a big whiff from a bottle, and immediate  holding it away and saying, “Whew! it’s way too strong!” Rightly so, as their brains are warning them not to do that again. Even if one does contend with a “direct hit”, it’s virtually impossible to appreciate the true balance and combined attractiveness of the aroma compounds. On the other hand, it is exceptionally easy to turn the brain off to the aggressive assault of too many molecules on our olfactory centers, making repetitive short-term exposures to essential oils increasingly unreliable from a sensory perspective. So, word to the wise, don’t judge your lavender oils directly from their bottles (unless you’re content to be consistently wrong in your assessments.)  

The short answer: to some degree, yes, but mostly no. Among the familiar cultivars within the lavender family, there are a few particularly prevalent aroma molecules present in the individual essential oils that create a generalized background fragrance of sweet, herbal lavender.  These particular molecules, while abundant, are not particularly strong odorants, and can be  easily overwhelmed but small concentrations of much stronger aroma molecules. Therein lies the  key to the incredible diversity of fragrances between various cultivars. The complex genetic  machinery controlling the required synthetic enzymes operates differently in each cultivar, resulting in variable proportions of each molecule from a long list of possible aroma chemicals in the oils. Small differences in these relative proportions can translate to distinct changes in the  overall odor profiles.  

The tendency toward diversity in the fragrance of oils from individual cultivars enriches the range of possibilities, but also works against the desire for consistency among the makers of  large-scale products that incorporate lavender-family oils. It is no accident that one sees high-volume cultivation of lavenders in specific parts of the world, particularly in the Mediterranean  region, along with communal distillation of harvested lavender at enormous scale. These practices aid in the production of large quantities of comparatively homogeneous essential oils with an acceptable degree of year-after-year consistency. When you purchase lavender or  lavandin oils from companies that import literal barrels of these oils from Europe and other foreign suppliers, your are getting what you might think of as “generic” versions. Such imported  products usually meet international standards geared toward consistency and safety (i.e. the  absence of harmful levels of specific components) — both being admirable attributes in the right situations. At the same time, these generics shy away from the exciting diversity of fragrances emanating from the wide array of lavender and lavandin cultivars.  The artisan producer has the opportunity to celebrate the individuality and unique character of each lavender cultivar.

Needless to say, it can be difficult to find high-quality essential oils and buds from small-scale growers, whose total product yield is minuscule compared to imported generic product volume.  Lavender Stalker undertakes the task of finding really “good stuff” and providing you with information about how to get your hands on it!

The genetic program governing lavender’s production of volatile molecules is, needless to say, hard-wired into each plant.  That said, we must remember that gene-activation processes are sensitive to innumerable influences on cellular functions.  Fairly obvious factors include the regulatory effects of daily light-dark cycles, and the relative duration of periods of light.  If you don’t already know, lavender-family members are hard-core sun lovers — the more, the merrier.  Ambient temperatures play a role, with heat accelerating growth and flower development.  Naturally, lavender needs water to grow, but it is not a fan of excess moisture around its roots.  There is a long-standing notion that water restriction, at least to a mild degree, can motivate lavender plants to move along with flower and seed production, and some feel that the quality of the essential may benefit under these stressed conditions.  Essential nutrients derived from the soil must be sufficiently available to support the complex biochemical machinery needed to synthesize all the component molecules comprising the essential oil.  Deficiencies of individual co-factors like magnesium or cobalt can limit the rate of some enzyme-mediated reactions within plant cells.  Also, as is the case for many herbs, the pH of the soil can help or hinder lavender’s growth and development.  While being fairly tolerant of a range of soil pH levels, lavender prefers a slightly alkaline soil, which is not very common in areas of lush vegetation.

It’s all about scale.  The large-scale, bulk-market producers often rely on harvested lavender stalks from multiple growers, co-op style.  Huge quantities of stalks are subjected to indifferent but well-established processing, and whatever comes out at the terminal end is the generic product for that season.  For growers, the commitment is limited to harvesting and delivering as much mature lavender stalk as possible — payment on delivery, thank-you very much.  In contrast, the artisan producer sometimes has the growing and harvesting responsibilities to manage, on top of the bud or oil production processes.  Typically, a small-scale distiller or bud-maker handles loads of plant material in the range of a few gallons to a couple hundred gallons, which pales in comparison to the metric tons addressed by bulk-producers.  Furthermore, the artisan knows that the yields of culinary-grade buds or essential oil, from all the plant material they begin with, will be relatively small.  Consequently, they will pay close attention to the entire process of bud-preparation or distillation, hoping to optimize both yield and quality.  Operating at small-scale, the artisan will expect considerable variability from batch to batch, and their goal centers on doing the best they can with the plant material they have at hand.  Needless to say, operating at small scale is inherently more costly than massive-scale operations.  In contrast to the profit-orientation of bulk-producers, the artisan adds a big dose of respect and admiration of the plant, and a desire for technical mastery of the preparation or distillation processes, despite the burdens of small-scale productivity.  That dedication deserves our appreciation and should be rewarded accordingly!

Each sample of essential oil or culinary buds submitted to Lavender Stalker for evaluation is subjected to a consistent, detailed proprietary assessment.  Because the fragrance characteristics of samples change over time, it can take more than 24 hours to complete a single review. Based on the composite score a sample achieves during its review, the RQI is calculated, ranging from [-4] to [+4].  Any negative RQI indicates that weaknesses and flaws of the product outweigh any favorable qualities.  You won’t see any product with a negative RQI posted on Lavender Stalker — simply put, you would not want to invest in such products.

Many bulk-market oils and buds will have an RQI in the 0.5 to 1.5 range.  While these can be serviceable products, they generally lack any outstanding quality that would make them special.  Lavender Stalker is really only interested in truly stand-out essential oils and culinary buds, with notable character and consistent performance.  Accordingly, only products that achieve an RQI of [+2] or higher will be posted on Lavender Stalker.You should infer that all such favorably rated products can boast a significantly higher-than-average level of quality, and they will often convey distinct characteristics that set them apart from run-of-the-mill competitors.  As a consumer, you should also infer that the higher the RQI, the more unique and uncommon the product, which naturally enhances their value.  Of course, the higher the RQI, the rarer the commodity.  Who knows if and when we’ll ever get our hands on an RQI [+4] product, but if we do, it will be truly spectacular!

Recall that the fragrance from lavender-family buds and essential oil comes from volatile organic molecules that vaporize and stimulate our olfactory centers.  The hundreds of difference component molecules are able to interact and sometimes chemically react with one another.  They are also subject to universal chemical processes, particularly oxidation, which is facilitated by exposure to oxygen and the energy inherent in light and heat.  In order to retard oxidative deterioration of lavender-derived products, one should restrict air exchange by using tightly sealed containers, and limit light exposure by keeping your storage containers in dark places or covered in light-blocking materials (such as foil).  Many chemical reactions are slowed by dropping the temperature, so you may want to consider refrigeration and even freezing.  For essential oils, the inclusion of an antioxidant is practiced by some producers.

An additional concern for buds is humidity.  The biological materials that form bud casings can absorb water from the air.  If they become damp enough, fungal or bacterial growth can be supported, leading to various forms of mildew or rot.  Well-sealed containers kept in relatively dry environments will help preserve bud quality, and you might consider adding a food-grade desiccant pack to your containers if there’s no practical way to escape excess humidity.

Generally speaking, a high-quality lavender-family essential oil will be sold undiluted, unless otherwise specified by the producer.  The range of applications of a pure oil is broad, but we can simplify it on a conceptual basis:  

(1) Use it “straight-up”.  Normally you’d want to use a dropper to maintain control over the tiny amounts usually needed.  Placing essential oil in a diffuser and simply applying it to some fabric or a cotton pad can provide gentle fragrance in a small space or near your pillow at bedtime.  Direct application to the skin in small quantities is practiced by some people, with a small inherent risk of inducing allergies.  Direct oral consumption is not advised.  That said, it can be used in culinary applications, but dosing can be quite tricky.

(2) Add it to something.  Many commercial products containing large quantities of fat-like compounds are suitable for addition of nice lavender oil.  Examples include lotions, salves, shampoo, body scrubs, liquid soap (or bar soap bases), candle wax, etc.  The amount to use will depend on the intensity of fragrance desired, from very mild (in the 1% range) to strong (in the 4-5% range).

(3) Mix it with something.  Lavender-family essential oils are quite cooperative in mixtures with many other essential oils…the list of possibility is very long.  Experiment to create your own blend of oils!  Some general advice about using lavender-family essential oils: keep in mind that the effect of lavender fragrances should be gentle, and warmly embracing, but never assertive or pungent.  Watch your dosing!

Culinary opportunities abound for the use of lavender-family buds.  You just need to be attentive to the starting quality of your buds, and remember a few basics about how to incorporate them into your kitchen creations.  Here is a summary about how buds are frequently used:

(1) Incorporate whole buds into your recipe.  This approach will require you to think ahead about the end effect of bud color with regard to your visual expectations.  Sometimes, a visible bud with appealing color will be appropriate, but other times the bud color will make no real difference.  There can be a little “chewiness” to buds that may or may not be acceptable.  Whole buds will generally impart a gentle lavender effect that may not incorporate uniformly throughout a portion of your final product.  Common examples include cookies, cakes, shortbread, scones, etc.  Bear in mind that heating speeds up the release of fragrance molecules, so prolonged cooking or baking times will likely have an adverse effect on preservation of the most desirable volatile compounds contained in the buds.  Buds can easily be added to whole spice mixtures, such as the ubiquitous herbes de Provence.  Gradual adsorption of lavender fragrance molecules to culinary staples is another way of corralling lavender flavor, the classic example being lavender sugar.

(2) Incorporate ground buds into your recipe.  Well-dried lavender buds can easily be ground to a fine powdery texture, releasing a lot of fragrance.  A small coffee or spice grinder tends to work well.  The resulting powder will provide much greater immediacy of lavender fragrance, and is probably best used in unheated recipes or culinary products requiring very short heating times.  Ground bud is obviously easier to distribute in a recipe, but it is powerful, so you will have to be careful with dosing.

(3) Use extracted buds in your recipe.  Here the goal is to mobilize the scent molecules from the oil glands of the buds, and then use the resulting extract in your recipe.  Examples include preparation of infusions into cooking oils or butter (e.g. salad dressing, marinades, compound butters, etc), herbal extracts into vinegars, heated infusion into sugar-based syrups, and alcoholic extracts (such as vodka or gin) for use in cocktails, or in the production of bitters and concentrated “lavender extracts”.  Hot water steeping, otherwise known as making tea, works well, especially in combination with other herbs and tea leaves.

Some general advice about using lavender buds in culinary applications: The final lavender scent should be gentle, enough to be just-noticeable by the taster.  A heavy hand with lavender fragrance risks pungency and making foods or beverages seem “soapy”.  Give some attention to the relative potency of the buds you intend to use as it will influence the amount needed — some bud preparations can be quite powerful, and others almost impotent.  Furthermore, the fragrance profile of the buds may make them more suitable for sweet versus savory applications, sometimes both.  Experiment, but be careful and add gradually.  When in doubt, especially if you have overwhelmed your nose with lavender scent, ask a friendly person to smell and sample your creation, preferably before you over-dose it!